Operating a fireplace insert.

[Lburg]

Thanks for all the help from my previous posts. I installed my Rengency I2400 and started my first fire and I have a couple of questions. For my first fire I used a few small splits of sassafras. I started the fire with the air wide open and the insert heated up and then the fan kicked on. At this point I started messing with the air flow just to see what happens. It didn't take long for me to kill the fire. Once cold weather hits I would like to have some sort of idea how to operate the insert. I know I will have to get better wood than sassafras but I was given two seasoned cords and I thought I would use it first. As far as operating the insert, I was thinking of getting a good fire going with a good bed of coals and then shutting the air down to the point where I still have a flame but if I go down any more then it will be coals only. Is this correct or what do you suggest I do. I know it will take time for me to get a feel for it but I would like to have an idea of what I am supposed to do. Thank for any help.

 

[Corey]

It still sneaks up on me every once in a while - shut the air down too much, too early. What I try and remember: when you want to shut the air down - wait about 10 more minutes - or close it down 1/2 as much as planned. A firebox full of flames looks pretty impressive, but also pretty easy to snuff out if there isn't a good coal bed. Once you get coals established, then you can start cutting back the air even more.

When you get the basics then you will start getting the details - like colder/dryer air outside will give you better draft while warmer/humid will be worse. You will note any effects of wind direction and gauge how much wood and of what type to add for a good overnight burn without waking up freezing or dripping with sweat.

 

[Pagey]

Here's how I have the most success with my freestanding Endeavor. Once I get a decent coal bed going from kindling and small splits, I lay in about 3 to 5 good sized splits. I leave both the bypass damper and the primary air control fully open until those splits are fully engaged. This will usually get me a stove top temp of around 450F. At this point I close my stove's bypass damper (your insert won't have this feature, I imagine). I leave the primary air fully open for a few more minutes, and this gets me to around 500F on the stove top, easily. Then I start backing down the primary air in stages. I never close the lever fully, as this will extinguish my secondary combustion. I back the primary down slowly over a 15-20 minute period. This will leave me with full, active secondary combustion and a "cruising" temp of around 650F on the stove top.

 

[fredarm]

Don't shut down the air all at once. I usually leave mine wide open until I have a good burn going and then shut it down halfway, wait 10-15 minutes, see how it's doing on half, and then shut it all the way down. If it looks like it's going to die, then I open it up to half again, wait until it gets going and then trry shutting it down again. It's really only an issue on start-up as once you get a good coal bed going, you can add wood, wait for it to char, and shut it down pretty quickly. FYI, you can't completely shut the air off on a modern EPA non-cat stove, there's always some air going through the secondaries to create secondary burn, aka the "light show".